The Carolina Panthers just might be a dirty little tease.
During a pre-draft event for NFL Play 60 on Wednesday afternoon, Ohio State University quarterback C.J. Stroud was asked if he thinks he’ll be this year’s first overall selection. And Stroud, who seemed like a strong candidate for the honor, had a very intriguing response.
“To be honest, I don’t know,” he said, per Joe Person of The Athletic. “If you asked me a couple months ago, I probably would’ve had a different answer for you. But I have no idea.”
A couple of months ago . . . in fact, it wasn’t even a couple of months ago when the Panthers appeared to be all over Stroud—literally.
The speculation began as soon as the team acquired the draft’s No. 1 overall pick from the Chicago Bears on March 10, as the 2022 Heisman Trophy finalist was listed as a pretty solid odds-on favorite to go atop the board that very weekend. That feeling continued through Stroud’s pro day, where the Panthers—specifically quarterbacks coach Josh McCown—got extremely cozy with standout Buckeye.
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) March 22, 2023
But since then, longtime friend and fellow top passing prospect Bryce Young has become the prospective pick for Carolina. The University of Alabama star jumped Stroud in the sportsbooks about two weeks ago and will, barring an even more outrageous Reddit post, remain there before the name calling begins tomorrow night.
